Later, the council voted 6-0 to approve funding for a phase II environmental assessment of the property by Credere Associates of Westbrook. The assessment will cost $24,950 — down from an initial estimate of $35,000.

Credere is a women-owned business that specializes in redevelopment planning, engineering, hydrogeology and environmental sciences. It will provide services including a survey for PCB and asbestos, and taking aboveground and underground water samples.

The assessment study will be paid for from the $100,000 “set-aside” fund the council created for the Hampden Academy property purchase to cover extraneous costs.

• Unanimously approved a contract with Harcros Chemicals in Westbrook setting the price of road salt for $57.21 per ton — a significant decrease from last year’s price of $63 per ton. Comparatively, Bangor will be getting its salt from Harcros for $59.87 a ton this winter. The salt will be delivered by a Hampden company, H.O. Bouchard Inc.

• Approved paying $750 from the municipal building reserve fund for a used multiviewer system to broadcast council meetings. It also sent a request for approval for a $1,500 portable sound system back to a committee with the recommendation that it approve the purchase of a $1,800 system using wireless microphones.

• Unanimously approved an item left over from the last council meeting two weeks ago that was unable to be voted on then due to the lack of a quorum. The vote approved the payment of $205 to Scott’s Lawn Service for grounds work at the Edythe L. Dyer Community Library after grubs ravaged the library’s front lawn.

• Took up a rash of absences that have hampered the council’s ability to take votes due to lack of a quorum over the last two months. No vote or action was taken, but the matter will be discussed further by members of the council’s finance and administrative committee.